Warmth
by Lady Scarlett Orihime
Summary: Winry tries to get over Ed's death, but she keeps finding items that brings her to believe that he isn't dead. EdXWin
1. Chapter 1

Warmth

Winry's Locket

It was late in the afternoon in Risenbul, when Winry Rockbell finished repairing a customer's automail. It had been two whole years since that day, the day that Edward Elric, her best friend, had disappeared. A funeral was held for him, but she didn't go. She had refused to accept the fact that Ed had died. They haven't found his body, so how could she? Nevertheless, she had no clue of his whereabouts. Partially, she wished that the automail she had just repaired was his. She had wished that _every_ automail she fixed was his, but her customer's automail just wasn't. Winry knew that Edward's automail was different, special. It was the automail that she had poured her effort in fixing, even though she said things to him entirely differently.

"Winry!" Aunt Pinako called from the kitchen, "Would you get me my spare automail kit you borrowed this morning?"

"Yes, auntie!" Winry replied. The spare kit she borrowed was in her room. She took it up to try some new techniques in fixing and making automail.

Winry walked up the stairs leading to her room. Beside her room was Edward's. She and Al liked to go in there often, even though every time she walked in, she wanted to cry; but she never did cry, _he_ wouldn't like it if she did. Winry walked into her room. It was quite dark in there, so she had to go open the window shades. Sunlight poured in as she pulled the shades aside; the rays were golden, just like his hair. The hair that she used to braid. She missed that feeling dearly. Al didn't braid his hair, and even if he did, the feeling of Al's hair wouldn't be like Edward's.

Winry turned towards her desk. Now, where had she put the spare kit? She remembered that it was lying on her desk. She looked around for it..ahh it was on her bed. She was about to go out of her room when something caught her eye. It was a white envelope. Winry picked it up and looked at it; it was something Ed had given her before he left and she never opened it. How could she forget? Anyways, Winry opened the envelope gingerly, fearing that the thing inside might break apart; something that he gave her might fall apart.

She put the envelope down and looked inside; it was a silver locket. The surface was smooth and cool, just like automail. Unlike most lockets, no carvings were made on it. She opened it anxiously. Inside, was a picture of her, Al, and him. A feeling of warmth suddenly washed over her. Wh.. why had Ed given her this? As a reminder of him while he went on his quest? No. As a birthday present he owed her? No way. Then why?

"Winry! The spare kit please!" Aunt Pinako's voice from downstairs interrupted her thoughts.

"Y-yes! I'll be right down!" Winry called back.

Edward's mechanic ran down the stairs. She looked at the picture in the locket again. The same feeling came over her; the feeling of warmth that she had during the times she spent with him. Whatever the reason was, she didn't care. As long as the feeling was there when she looked at it, she didn't care.

Winry put the locket in her pocket and went to Auntie Pinako. She didn't care about its reasons, as long as there was that feeling of warmth…

A/N: Hi! Well, this story is kinda short, but sad too, huh? R&R! Always, Winry.


	2. Chapter 2

Warmth

The Lost Paper

It was already dark by the time Winry had finished eating dinner. The topics she talked with Aunt Pinako during dinner had completely changed during the past two years. Before Edward's disappearance, she usually brought up topics of how Ed's automail would be damaged and how to fix it, how Al would react to finding Ed's body, or rather, ex-body, on the ground, and what progress they made during their journey. However, after the incident, Aunt Pinako only brought up the dinner topics, which mainly was about automail, and not about the state alchemist. This was probably because of Aunt Pinako's worry about Winry. The fact that Winry believed that Ed haven't died yet made Pinako extremely worried. The younger Rockbell would spend hours on end in the alchemist's room looking at his possessions, hoping to discover something that would lead to the alchemist's whereabouts.

Winry slowly came out of Ed's room carrying a piece of paper in her hand. It was crumpled and looked like it was several years of age. Its edge was torn; probably Winry's doing, to rip it out of a notebook. She opened the door to her room and set the paper on her desk. She took the locket out of her pocket and put it in a drawer. Winry hadn't worn it yet, since Aunt Pinako might throw a thousand questions at her. She closed the drawer, unaware that the piece of paper had fallen on the floor. She changed her clothes and then went to sleep.

The crumpled paper lay on the floor, exposing the words on it. Bits and parts of the sentence were smudged by dirt and eaten out by insects, but it was still partially readable.

_The Gate...ior city……. .. heim……….ho…..lus_

A/N: I know that this is short. A longer chapter will be written soon. Always, Winry.


	3. Chapter 3

Warmth

The Dream and Call

It was a dark alley, a soft breeze blew against her neck. Where is this place? Winry thought. It sure didn't look familiar. There was a soft light at the other end of the alley and she walked towards it. Winry poked her head out into the dimly lit street. She stepped out of the alley and looked around. There were rows and rows of townhouses. Several wearing strange clothing walked along the street. The colors of the clothes were dull. Some of the people were wearing scarves. Winry walked up to a black haired woman wearing a dark green out coat.

"Excuse me," Winry said

"Yes?" the woman replied.

"I know it might sound weird, but where am I?" Winry asked, looking a bit embarrassed.

The woman chuckled a bit and said, "A newcomer are you? Well, it's Mun-.." The voice faded away and when Winry was about to open her mouth to ask the woman, the black hair person walked away. Okay, what just happened? She was about to go grab the woman's shoulder but she had disappeared. That was creepy, Winry shivered. She was about to turn to ask other people who were walking on the street, but they had disappeared too. It was like they just evaporated into thin air. Seriously creepy. Then, Winry heard someone, or rather something, muttering behind her. She didn't dare to look back, instead, she quickened her pace. Without knowing it, Winry ended up in front of a house. She noticed a faint beam of light coming out of one of the windows. She walked up to the window and saw the back of a man, writing something on a piece of paper. She looked carefully at the paper, and saw a bunch of chemical formulas. If only Ed or Al was here, she would've known what the formulas were.

The man turned his face towards the window. Shoot! Winry quickly ducked, fearing that the man would spot her. However, she had caught a glimpse of the man's face. _No, wait, _it can't be… that person… looked _identical to Al!_ It can't be! Because Al …Al…where is Al? She didn't know where Al went. She looked through the window again, and looked that the person who looked identical to Al. Nope, not that identical, the person she saw had blue eyes. Alphonse Elric had brown eyes.

The doorknob to the room turned. A woman stepped in. Waaiit a minute! That was Gracia! So, this Mun-whatsis place was in Central? But she had never been in a place like this in central. To add to that, Gracia didn't live in a place like this, and where's Elycia? The door opened again. The person that stepped in had blond hair, just like Ed. But, it was tied up into a ponytail. His clothes weren't the style that Ed liked to wear, so Winry concluded that it wasn't him.. or was it? She waited for the person to turn around, but he didn't. When Winry was about to pull out her wrench, she heard a sound behind her. It was the same sound that she had heard earlier in the streets. Winry whirled around to see what it was. What Winry saw was the woman she met earlier in the streets.

"Hello," said the woman coolly. What the woman did almost scared Winry to death; she had changed herself into another person, with black hair and a weird hair style, wearing a miniskirt like thing, and tight top.

"Y-y-you..." Winry, who was still shocked, said.

"You are Edward's friend? Hasn't he told you about me? I'm Envy" Envy replied coldly. All of a sudden, he turned into a huge green dragon. Winry stepped back, but she hit the wall behind her. She looked through the window and saw Ed facing his back to her, Alphonse and Gracia gone. _Ed…Ed…help… please…_Winry thought pleadingly.

"Its useless," Envy the Dragon hissed, "He has forgotten about you, my dear."

_Edward! _Winry thought.

Envy flew up into the night sky. Winry tried to run, but her feet was stuck to a bush…_crap! _The dragon dived towards Winry at full speed. She closed her eyes tightly. _Ed! Edward Elric!_

Winry sat up straight in her bed. Sweating all over, hands clutching tightly to her blanket. It was just a dream, just a dream. It couldn't have been real. Heart still thumping extraordinarily fast, hands still shaking, she reached for the lamp and turned it on. She looked at the alarm clock. It was still 2 in the morning. She turned the lamp off, and tried to get back to sleep. But, everytime she tried closing her eyes, she would only see an image of the green dragon. Crap… She can't even close her eyes. She decided to go downstairs to get something to eat. Maybe that would help.

Winry got out of bed and walked downstairs and then to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and got out an apple. She took a bite, and another bite, until she finished eating. After Winry threw the remains of the apple away, she was about to walk up the stairs until the phone rang.

_Bring! Bring! _Winry quickly walked to pick up the call. Who the heck was calling at 2 in the morning! 

"Hello, and why the HECK are you calling at this hour!" Winry scolded the caller.

"Winry? It's me.."


	4. Chapter 4

Warmth

Chapter 4

"Winry? Its me, Al"

"Al? What are you doing, calling at this hour? Its 2 in the morning Alphonse! Don't be like your brother calling me at odd hours!" Winry yelled. Why was Al calling her at 2 a.m.? _He_ didn't have automail to be fixed like Ed. Or maybe… he found Ed who needed his automail to fixed… No. If Ed needed help, he would've been the one calling, not Al. Or Al had found some information regarding Ed. Impossible, because she knew brothers all her life, and she would be the last person that they talked to. But, maybe…this time it was different? Since many people believed that Ed died, _Al could talk to her? _

"_Winry – neechan_! Don't talk to loud! Aunty Pinako would wake up, and you know how she is," Al reminded Winry. _Oops _Winry thought. If Aunt Pinako woke up, she'll be in HUGE trouble.

"Ahh … _goumenasai_…sorry..," Winry apologized softly, "But where are you now? Do you need any help?"

"I'm in Risenbul, at the train station," Al replied.

"RISENBUL! AT THE TRAINSTION! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Winry yelled very very loudly. _What was Al doing here? _

"_Winry – neeeee chan_! Not tooo loud!"Alphonse reminded Winry for the second time, "Aunty Pinako would wake up!"

" Soorryyy!" Winry apologized again, "So what are you doing here, in Risenbul?"

"I found things about _nii-san_ that I need you help me with.. and uhh…ehh… I also have _things_ with me," Al answered

"Things?" Winry asked curiously. Then something struck her. Oh god…better not be that. But just to make sure, Winry asked, "Do the _things _need towels ?"

"Ehh….uhhh….heh…." Al replied unwillingly.

" Do they need milk?" Winry asked again. It JUST better not be what she thought it is.. If it is, she'll be dead. _Dead _. 

"Don't tell me that they're…." Winry said, hoping that it wasn't _them_.

A/N: Sorry for another short chapter...and as you can see, it doesn't really have a title...Couldn't think of one. Always, Winry.


	5. Chapter 5

Warmth

The Kittens

"KITTENS!" Winry said loudly, sounding quite irritated. She was standing in front of the trainstation holding 3 towels, and Al holding 3 wet, muddy…kittens. Why did she have to be right? The kittens would make noise, which could annoy Aunty Pinako. Not to mention Den.

"Winry – neechan, we can keep them right ? right? Please?" Al asked. He looked at her with cute puppy, no, _kitten_ eyes. Arrghh! She hated it when Al looked at her like that! She couldn't help saying 'yes, you may keep them'. How did Ed refuse such a cute stare?

"Ah… yea, Al" Winry finally said. It was going to be a lot of trouble; hiding the fact that Winry had gone out at 2 a.m., Al coming and arriving at Risenbul in the middle of the night, from Aunt Pinako. She took one kitten and rubbed the mud off of it. Al did that to the other 2 kittens.

"So.. what news have you got about Ed?" Winry asked while they were walking home.

"Well, not much… It's just that, Private Mustang – sama…and other people…didn't tell me much about it." Al said. Well, Winry had to admit that it seems like everyone is keeping secrets from them.

"Tried asking Izumi – Sensei yet?" Winry asked, trying to give suggestions. Al's face suddenly _chibified_.

"Ehh…ummm…." Al said, with his face still chibified.

"I'll take that as a yes." Winry responded, "So, what did she do to you this time?" Al was way easier to talk to when you're referring to Izumi sensei. Ed would sweat and sweat and sweat and would suddenly change subject, or just walk away. Al, however, would only chibify, which gave Winry an opportunity to talk to him and find out about the brothers' journey and training.

"Uhh… she saw me dressed as nii-san and at first she thought I was nii-san and.. uhhh…. She punched me and said something like 'why did you do such a STUPID thing?'" Al explained. _Ouch_, Winry thought.

"But … But… Sensei isn't all that mean!" Al quickly said after seeing Winry's expression, "She said sorry to me after that though. She asked my why I dressed like him, and I explained that I wanted to find out about nii-san. Sensei told me some things about him, during the four years. She said she didn't know that much about it, but told me to check out a town."

"Oh… that's nice of Sensei. So far, I think she's the only person to tell us most about Ed," Winry commented. She had tried to ask Roy Mustang and Riza to explain the events to Al and herself, but they wouldn't. They were afraid that Al and she would be going to a dangerous place just to find out about Ed. _She _wasn't that stupid to do something that reckless. And Al wasn't like Ed, personality wise. Ed would do anything to achieve his goal, Winry admired that. Al, however, would stop, and think before doing anything (except when it came to kittens and cats, Al would just pick them up and bring them home). Totally different, yet somehow…_similar. _

Before they knew it, they were in front of the Rockbell resident. The light inside was on, but Winry remembered that she had turned it off when she left. _Oh shoot_…what if … nah… it can't be. What she didn't know was that, her suspicions were once correct again.

Winry opened the unlocked door. Unlocked? She locked the door before going out. She was positive of that. Unless…

Standing right in front of her was ...

A/N: SUSPENSE! Love, Winry.


	6. Chapter 6

Warmth

Chapter 6

Aunt Pinako was standing infront of Winry, ready to yell at highest volume. "Winry! What are you doing outside at this time!" Aunt Pinako scolded her, "You know what time it is?"

"I.. uhh…-" Winry started to speak, but then was interrupted by Al.

"_O..o…oba-san_, Winry went to pick me up from the train station," Al said to prevent further yellings from Aunt Pinako.

"_Ed?_ Winry, Ed came back! Come in, come in!" Aunt Pinako said with a surprised tone of voice.

"Uhh, It's _Al, Aunty. Al_, his clothes are Ed's though. And his hair, is like Ed, I know," Winry corrected her Aunt.

"Ahh… you, Al. Pardon me, you look so similar to your brother. And you have 3 kittens with you," Aunt Pinako said looking from the kitten that Winry was holding, and Al was _hugging_. She mentioned for them to enter the house.

"Thanks," Winry said softly to Al. 

"It's okay," replied Al quietly. Winry smiled. She still wondered how the brothers totally different. Al always replied humbly to a 'thank you' or a 'thanks', while Ed would say quite loudly 'It's because of meEeeE!' or 'Ha! No need to say thanks to me' or something along that line. Still, he probably means more than what he says. However, it was still Ed that cared about both of them, Al and her, the most. It was Ed who had the highest ambition in trying to restore his and Al's body. Al was there to support Ed, and make sure that Ed doesn't get killed first. But, the incident that happened changed almost everything. How was Al going to react when he finds out that Ed's disappearance had something to do with him? Still, Al probably won't blame every single thing on himself, that's for sure. Ed blamed everything on himself that happened, even though it was some one else's fault. 

Al put the kittens in a box after Winry had laid down the towels and the kitten she was holding. They told Den not to harm the kittens, or get annoyed by them. Hopefully, Den was used to Al bringing kittens home. The automail equiped dog started to follow Aunt Pinako up to her room.

"Den, go back to sleep," Aunt Pinako ordered, "I'll be going up now also, since I have several customers coming early tomorrow. Winry, you need sleep too. Al, you can sleep in your brother's room, can you? But it's messy though." Den quickly dashed down stairs, and went to his place. 

"I'll manage," answered Al. Of course he will, Winry thought. That place they stayed in Central was worse.

"Good night then," Aunt Pinako said while walking up the stairs, "Turn off the lights too. I don't want those electricity people all over my place for over usage of electricity."

"Yes, Aunty!" Winry replied, "Hey, Al. Tell me the info about Ed you have tomorrow after breakfast? Or, well, when Aunty's gone. I don't want her to get all worried and stuff. Get some sleep, okay?"

"Don't worry Winry – _neechan_, I will," Al told her, "And, _neechan_, is it okay if I bring the kittens up? I mean they're still young and everything.." Arrrghhhh! Again! She couldn't possibly say no, or throw a wrench at his head. He was Al, not _Ed_. With Ed, she can hurt him how ever much she wanted, and he still doesn't care that much, well he won't be that hurt deeply. With Al, she knew if she tried anything with him. A person like Al would feel hurt.

So, once again, Winry said, "Yes, Al you could."

"Thankyouuu sooo muuuchhh! _Arigatou gozaimasu!_" Al thanked Winry, and started carrying the box of kittens upstairs.

"Wait… do keep my work in his room, safe, from the kittens please?" Winry told Al. She didn't want her work to be harmed by the kittens, not Al's kittens (if she dared to hurt the kittens, Al would definitely be mad).

"Okay, nee-chan. I'll keep them away from your work." Al assured her. She did do a lot of work. Researching about things related to Ed's disappearance; why he disappeared, how, basically everything. Even though her information sources were limited to only the notes Ed left, Ed's library, and the Risenbul Library, she still found quite a lot of information. But, she still couldn't fit the information together. Maybe, Al could help.

"G'nite. Alphonse," Winry yawned.

"See you tomorrow morning," Al said. He then entered Ed's room still carrying the box with 3 kittens. Ed wouldn't like it, Winry thought. She chuckled at the thought of seeing Ed's face when Al broght kittens into his room. One of Ed's priceless expressions. _She missed them_. Missed them a lot. She missed seeing Ed's face when he's forced to drink milk. She just wished that she could see them again. Somehow, she knew she would see them. Because, deep inside, she has this feeling that Ed is alive somewhere, probably thinking similar thoughts.

A/N: Al in Ed's clothes...Oh...if you can't already tell, this is set during the movie period. Always, Winry. Also, thanks goes to all those who have reviewed my stories!


End file.
